阅读说明：本技术 具有单侧定位的指状辅助件的无齿轮变速器单元 (Gearless transmission unit with one-sided positioning finger-shaped auxiliary element ) 是由 约翰·帕洛斯基 于 2020-03-31 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种变速器装置,包括：输入轴；输出轴；外滚道,安装在输入轴和输出轴中的一个轴的一端上；内滚道,安装在输入轴和输出轴中的另一个轴的一端上；多个滚珠轴承；以及第一指状辅助件和第二指状辅助件。内滚道和外滚道布置成形成保持架。滚珠轴承设置在保持架内并且彼此间隔开。第一指状辅助件安装成至少将多个滚珠轴承中的第一滚珠轴承按压到位于保持架内的位置中。第二指状辅助件安装成至少将多个滚珠轴承中的第二滚珠轴承按压到位于保持架内的位置中。第二指状辅助件设置成与第一指状辅助件对准。(A transmission arrangement comprising: an input shaft; an output shaft; an outer race mounted on one end of one of the input shaft and the output shaft; an inner raceway installed on one end of the other of the input shaft and the output shaft; a plurality of ball bearings; and a first finger assist and a second finger assist. The inner and outer raceways are arranged to form a cage. The ball bearings are disposed within the cage and spaced apart from each other. The first finger assist is mounted to press at least a first ball bearing of the plurality of ball bearings into position within the cage. The second finger assist is mounted to press at least a second ball bearing of the plurality of ball bearings into position within the cage. The second finger assist is disposed in alignment with the first finger assist.)

1. A transmission arrangement comprising:

an input shaft;

an output shaft;

an outer race mounted on one end of one of the input shaft and the output shaft;

an inner raceway mounted on one end of the other of the input shaft and the output shaft, the inner raceway and the outer raceway being arranged to form a cage;

a plurality of ball bearings disposed within the cage and spaced apart from each other;

a first finger assist mounted to press at least a first ball bearing of the plurality of ball bearings into position within the cage; and

a second finger assist mounted to press at least a second ball bearing of the plurality of ball bearings into position within the cage, the second finger assist disposed in alignment with the first finger assist.

2. A transmission arrangement as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second finger assists includes a metallic material.

3. A variator arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ball bearings are prevented from sliding within the inner and outer races.

4. A transmission arrangement as recited in claim 1, wherein the input shaft rotates at a first speed and the output shaft rotates at a second speed.

5. A transmission arrangement as recited in claim 4, wherein rotation of the input shaft rotates the output shaft.

6. A transmission arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first speed is different from the second speed.

7. A transmission arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input and output shafts are rotatably mounted in a housing.

8. A transmission arrangement as recited in claim 7, wherein the first and second finger assists are fixedly mounted to the housing.

9. A transmission arrangement as recited in claim 1, wherein the input shaft defines a first side and a second side, the first and second finger assists being disposed on the first side of the input shaft.

10. A transmission arrangement as recited in claim 9, wherein the first finger assist includes a first protruding arm member that contacts the first ball bearing on the first side of the input shaft, and the second finger assist includes a second protruding arm member that contacts the second ball bearing on the first side of the input shaft.

11. A variator arrangement as claimed in claim 1, in which the inner race is provided on the input shaft and the outer race is provided on the output shaft.

12. A variator arrangement as claimed in claim 1, in which the outer race is provided on the input shaft and the inner race is provided on the output shaft.

13. A transmission arrangement as recited in claim 1, further comprising an electric motor connected to the input shaft and disposed to rotate the input shaft relative to the output shaft.

14. A transmission arrangement as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second finger assists are disposed in vertical alignment with one another.

15. A variator arrangement as claimed in claim 1, in which the inner and outer races are disposed at an angle relative to one another.

Background

In conventional devices for reducing or increasing speed, the connection between the input shaft and the output shaft is achieved by using gears. An internal gear on one shaft cooperates with an external gear on the other shaft to transfer power from one shaft to the other. If the two axes have different radii, the speed of one axis will be different from the speed of the other axis.

However, a problem with this device is that it is difficult to produce gears without play between the gears by precision machining. This play causes inaccuracies in the machine on which the shaft is arranged. Conventional gear-based reducers are not optimal in situations where very precisely positioned operations are required, such as in the case of jewelry making or operating circuit boards.

Disclosure of Invention

The present disclosure describes a gearless transmission unit having a single-sided located finger assist that establishes contact points on the same side of a plurality of ball bearings located in recesses between inner and outer races. First, one ball will engage the finger assist, and then both balls will engage the finger assist due to slight bending within the shaft, housing and transmission device as a whole, allowing both balls to rotate properly. Since the housing sections are rigidly mounted and the balls remain in the recesses even if the finger assist (or arm member) is not in place, the finger assist "pushes" the balls in response to the balls pushing the arm member hard due to their direction of rotation, since the finger assist does not move significantly from itself. By both finger aids establishing contact points on the same side of the ball, the finger aids push unilaterally, e.g. from the same side of a plurality of balls, which allows for less stringent tolerances in terms of manufacturing. That is, the size of the contact diameters of the multiple races, their shape and profile, and the accuracy of the angle between the rotational centerline of the output shaft relative to the rotational centerline of the input shaft need not be as precise as in prior designs, since the finger assist urges the balls into position within the recesses despite less stringent dimensional tolerances in the effective configuration of the recesses. The transmission device capable of operating in a Clockwise (CW) or counterclockwise (CCW) direction according to the rotation direction of the motor shaft significantly expands the applicability of the transmission device to more uses, enabling an improvement in energy efficiency in more uses, as compared to the existing double-sided transmission device.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the present disclosure is directed to a transmission arrangement. The transmission device includes: an input shaft; an output shaft; an outer race mounted on one end of one of the input shaft and the output shaft; an inner raceway installed on one end of the other of the input shaft and the output shaft; a plurality of ball bearings; and a first finger assist and a second finger assist. The inner and outer raceways are arranged to form a cage. The ball bearings are disposed within the cage and spaced apart from each other. The first finger assist is mounted to press at least a first ball bearing of the plurality of ball bearings into position within the cage. The second finger assist is mounted to press at least a second ball bearing of the plurality of ball bearings into position within the cage. The second finger assist is disposed in alignment with the first finger assist.

In some aspects, one or both of the first and second finger aids may comprise a metallic material.

In some aspects, the ball bearings may be prevented from sliding within the inner and outer races.

In some aspects, the input shaft may rotate at a first speed and the output shaft may rotate at a second speed. Rotation of the input shaft may rotate the output shaft. The first speed may be different from the second speed.

In some aspects, the input shaft and the output shaft may be rotatably mounted in a housing. The first and second finger assists may be fixedly mounted to the housing.

In some aspects, the input shaft may define a first side and a second side. The first and second finger assists may be disposed on the first side of the input shaft. The first finger assist may include a first protruding arm member that contacts the first ball on the first side of the input shaft, and the second finger assist may include a second protruding arm member that contacts the second ball on the first side of the input shaft.

In some aspects, the inner race may be disposed on the input shaft and the outer race may be disposed on the output shaft.

In some aspects, the outer race may be disposed on the input shaft and the inner race may be disposed on the output shaft.

In some aspects, the transmission arrangement may further comprise an electric machine connected to the input shaft and arranged to rotate the input shaft relative to the output shaft.

In some aspects, the first and second finger assists may be disposed in vertical alignment (in vertical alignment) with each other.

In some aspects, the inner and outer races may be angularly disposed relative to one another.

Detailed Description

The entire disclosure of U.S. patent No. 8,033,953, which is incorporated herein by reference, provides a gearless speed reducer or speed increaser that addresses these issues.

The entire disclosure of U.S. patent No. 10,018,255, which is incorporated herein by reference, provides a gearless speed reducer or speed increaser that is capable of achieving very precise tolerances and that can be easily manufactured with few parts. Further, U.S. patent No. 10,018,255 discloses a shaft supported in a housing and a finger assist mounted in the housing to press a plurality of balls into position in raceways on opposite sides. The finger assist is a rigid tab that extends into the raceway and presses the ball into place. This allows the unit to function properly, even if it does not achieve precise manufacturing tolerances.

The input and output shafts are bi-directionally oriented and thus are capable of operating in one direction (clockwise (CW) or counterclockwise (CCW)) depending on the mounting position of the finger assist.

Fig. 1-3 illustrate a transmission arrangement or unit 1 according to the present disclosure, which further provides non-obvious but significant advantages over gearless speed reducers or speed increasers of the art.

The transmission unit 1 includes an input shaft 10 and an output shaft 11 rotatably mounted in a housing 301. The housing 301 is formed with a first section 301a and a second section 301B that are angularly disposed relative to each other such that the rotational centerline "B" of the output shaft 11 is positioned at an angle α 1 relative to the rotational centerline "a" of the input shaft 10, wherein the output shaft 11 is mounted in and supported by the second section 310B and the input shaft is mounted in and supported by the first section 301 a.

Thus, the inner surface 3031 of the first section 301a and the inner surface 3032 of the second section 301b are joined at an angle α 2, where α 1 ═ α 2. An inner race 15 is connected to the input shaft 10 on one side of the first section 301a, the inner race extending from the inner surface 3031. The outer race 16 extends from the inner surface 3032 of the second section 301 b. With respect to the inner raceway 15, the outer raceway 16 surrounds an inner volume such that the inner raceway 15 is received therein, wherein the first balls 14' are positioned on an upper region of the inner raceway 15 and the second balls 14 "are positioned on a lower region of the inner raceway 15. The first balls 14 'are positioned between an upper region of the inner surface of the outer raceway 16 and an upper region of the inner raceway 15, and the second balls 14 "are positioned between a lower region of the inner surface of the outer raceway 16 and a lower region of the inner raceway 15, such that the first balls 14' and the second balls 14" function as ball bearings.

The inner and outer raceways 15, 16 are concentrically arranged and are angled with respect to each other by an angle α 2 to form a cage for the first and second balls 14 ', 14 ", respectively, wherein at least two balls 14 ' and 14" are provided in the recesses 17 ' and 17 "of the cage and the balls are diametrically opposed (e.g. spaced 180 degrees apart from each other) such that the balls 14 ' and 14" are captured in the respective recesses 17 ' and 17 "between the inner and outer raceways 15, 16 and the balls cannot slide within the inner and outer raceways 15, 16. The balls 14 'and 14 "are held in the recesses 17' and 17" and are located in diametrically opposite positions.

Rotation of the input shaft 10 by the motor 20 (see fig. 4) causes the inner race 15 to rotate. The rotation of the inner raceway 15 causes the balls 14 'and 14 "to rotate without any slippage, as they are retained in the respective recesses 17' and 17" formed between the inner and outer raceways 15 and 16. In turn, rotation of the balls 14' and 14 "then causes rotation of the outer race 16, which is coupled to the outer shaft 11, and thus rotates the outer shaft 11. The outer raceway 16 rotates less than the inner raceway 15 due to the different diameters of the two raceways. Referring to fig. 4A, the greater the difference between the outer contact diameter D of the inner raceway 15 and the inner contact diameter D of the outer raceway 16, the greater the degree of deceleration or acceleration. The dimensions of the inner contact diameter D and the outer contact diameter D are based on the position of the inner raceway 15 and the outer raceway 16 in contact with the balls 14' and 14 ", respectively.

First finger assist 321 ' has a base member 323 ' and a projecting arm member 325 ' that are transverse to one another (e.g., orthogonal to one another). The base member 323 ' is located on the inner surface 3031 of the first section 301a of the housing 301 such that the projecting arm member 325 ' projects from the inner surface 3031 and contacts the first ball 14 '. The projecting arm member 325' is positioned between an upper region of the inner surface of the outer raceway 16 and an upper region of the inner raceway 15.

Similarly, a second finger assist 321 "vertically aligned with the first finger assist 321' has a base member 323" and a projecting arm member 325 "that are transverse to each other (e.g., orthogonal to each other). The base member 323 "is positioned on the inner surface 3031 of the first section 301a of the housing 301 such that the projecting arm member 325" projects from the inner surface 3031 and contacts the second ball 14 ". The projecting arm member 325 "is positioned between a lower region of the inner surface of the outer raceway 16 and a lower region of the inner raceway 15.

The projecting arm members 325' and 325 "are positioned to project from the inner surface 3031 of the first section 301a of the housing 301 at locations spaced apart from one another. The motor input shaft 10 is supported by a bearing support 101 adjacent an inner surface 3031 of the first section 301a of the housing 301. The bearing support 101 is operatively connected to the inner raceway 15. Bearing support 101 defines a first side 1011 and a second side 1012. The first side 1011 is positioned to face generally in the same direction as the first side 301a1 of the first section 301a of the housing 301, as shown by arrows C1 and D1. The second side 1012 is positioned to generally face the same direction as the direction of the first side 301a2 of the first section 301a of the housing 301, as shown by arrows C2 and D2.

According to the present disclosure, the projecting arm members 325 ' of the finger assist 321 ' and the projecting arm members 325 "of the finger assist 321" are positioned unilaterally, e.g., on the same side of the balls 14 ' and 14 ", respectively. Said same sides of balls 14' and 14 "are those substantially coinciding with first side 1011 of bearing-type support 101 and with first side 301a1 of first section 301a of housing 301.

Fig. 4 shows a plan view of the transmission device 1, but the housing 301 comprising the first section 301a and the second section 301b is omitted for simplicity. The transmission device 1 includes: an input shaft 10 connected to the inner race 15; and an output shaft 11 connected to the outer race 16. Between these two raceways 15, 16 there are a first ball 14' and a second ball 14 "(shown in dashed lines in fig. 4). The motor 20 is connected to the input shaft 10. With reference to fig. 1 with regard to the description of the angles α 1 and α 2, the inner raceway 15 is arranged angularly offset from the outer raceway 16, so that the balls 14 'and 14 "are held without play in the recesses 17' and 17" located between the raceway rings 15 and 16. As shown in the cross-sectional view of fig. 4A taken along section line 4A-4A in fig. 2, additional retention force is provided by the projecting arm member 325 ' of the first finger assist 321 ' for the first ball 14 ' and by the projecting arm member 325 "of the second finger assist 321".

Thus, the projecting arm members 325 'of the one-sided positioned finger assist 321' and the projecting arm members 325 "of the finger assist 321" allow the transmission device 1 to operate in the clockwise CW or counterclockwise CCW direction depending on the rotation direction of the motor shaft 10. The deceleration of the output shaft 11 relative to the input shaft 10 is the same in both the CW direction and the CCW direction.

Fig. 5 is a side or front view similar to fig. 2 and showing the balls 14 ' and 14 "in contact with the projecting arm members 325 ' and 325" at contact points 140 ' and 140 ", respectively. The balls 14 'rotate in contact with the inner and outer races 15, 16 such that the rotational axis X1 of the balls 14' is at an acute angle β 1 with respect to the central axis a-a of the motor shaft 10. Line X10 is an imaginary line parallel to the axis of rotation X1, which is also an imaginary line, and both of these lines are intended to show the acute angle β 1 during initial operation of the races 15 and 16.

Conversely, during initial operation of the raceways 15 and 16, the ball 14 "rotates in contact with the inner and outer raceways 15 and 16 such that the axis of rotation X2 of the ball is at an obtuse angle β 2 with respect to the central axis a-a of the motor shaft 10. Similarly, line X20 is an imaginary line parallel to the axis of rotation X2, which is also an imaginary line, and both of these lines are intended to show the obtuse angle β 2 during initial operation of the races 15 and 16.

Fig. 6 is another side or front view similar to fig. 5, further illustrating that after the initial operation shown in fig. 5, the balls 14 ' and 14 "are in contact with the projecting arm members 325 ' and 325", respectively, at contact points 140 ' and 140 ". The balls 14' are shown rotating in contact with the inner and outer races 15, 16 such that the rotational axis X1 of the balls is at an acute angle β 1 with respect to the central axis a-a of the motor shaft 10. Line X10 is also an imaginary line parallel to the axis of rotation X1, which is also an imaginary line, and both of these lines are intended to show the acute angle β 1 during initial operation of the races 15 and 16.

However, in contrast to fig. 5, both balls 14' and 14 "continue to operate and rotate, and ball 14" rotates in contact with inner race 15 and outer race 16 such that the axis of rotation X2 of ball 14 "is at an acute angle β 2 relative to the central axis a-a of motor shaft 10, where acute angle β 1 is equal to acute angle β 2. Furthermore, line X20 is an imaginary line parallel to the axis of rotation X2, which is also an imaginary line, and both lines are intended to show the acute angle β 2 during continued operation of the races 15 and 16.

When the projecting arm members 325 'and 325 "push the balls 14' and 14" from the same direction, both the balls 14 'and 14 "are pushed into the recesses 17' and 17", respectively, which are the spaces between the outer surface of the inner race 15 and the inner surface of the outer race 16, as described above.

First, one ball will engage the finger assist, then due to slight bending (flexing) (within the shafts 10, 11; within the housing 301; within the transmission device 1 as a whole), both balls 14 ' and 14 "engage with the finger assist 321 ' and 321", respectively, allowing both balls 14 ' and 14 "to rotate properly. Since the housing sections 301a and 301b are rigidly mounted and the balls 14 'and 14 "are retained in the recesses 17' and 17" even if the finger aids 321 'and 321 "(arm members 325' and 325") are not in place, the finger aids 321 'and 321 "push against the balls 14' and 14" in response to the balls 14 'and 14 "pushing against the arm members 325' and 325" due to their direction of rotation, since the finger aids 321 'and 321' themselves do not move significantly. By the finger assistants 321 ' and 321 "both establishing contact points 140 ' and 140" on the same side of the balls 14 ' and 14 ", the finger assistants 321 ' and 321" push unilaterally, e.g., from the same side of the balls 14 ' and 14 ", which allows for less stringent manufacturing tolerances. That is, the dimensions of the contact diameters D and D of the raceways 15 and 16, their shape and profile, and the accuracy of the angle α 1 between the rotational centerline of the output shaft 11 relative to the rotational centerline of the input shaft 10 need not be as precise as in prior designs because the finger aids 321 'and 321 "urge the balls 14' and 14" into position within the recesses 17 'and 17 "despite the less stringent dimensional tolerances in the effective configuration of the recesses 17' and 17".

The transmission device 1 capable of operating in the CW or CCW direction according to the rotation direction of the motor shaft 10 significantly expands the applicability of the transmission device 1 to more uses, and can improve energy efficiency in more uses, as compared to the existing double-sided transmission device.

While several embodiments or aspects of the disclosure have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the disclosure is not intended to be limited thereto, and is intended to be as broad in scope as the art will allow and equally as a reading of the specification. Any combination of the above embodiments or aspects is also contemplated and within the scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, the above description should not be construed as limiting, but merely as exemplifications of particular embodiments or aspects. Those skilled in the art will envision other modifications within the scope of the claims appended hereto.